Speaking to Things: Old and New Wineskin Praying

An Excerpt from the book You're Crazy If You Don't Talk to Yourselfby Steve Backlund

Jesus and the apostles regularly spoke to “things” (the weather, people’s bodies, etc.). They declared more than they asked in prayer. As we understand this more and more, it is part of a “new wineskin” of praying.

Old and New Wine Skin Praying

OldNew

Beg Declare

Pray hard Pray believing

Many words Few words

Belief during prayer Belief after prayer

Reactive Proactive

Talk about problem Talk to the problem

Stop devil and curses Release God and blessing

Focus mainly on problem Focus on testimonies and promises

Mostly asking Mostly thanking

God is reluctant or hindered God is good and has won the victory

Uncomfortable with silence Values soaking prayer

Worship prepares for prayer Worship is prayer

Fast to convince God Fast to transform beliefs

Fasting is an event Fasting is a lifestyle

Burdened Joyful

Laughing is rare Laughing is frequent

Focus on duties of prayer Seek the depths of God

Expect spiritual attacks Expect blessings/protection

This list starts with the old attribute of begging and the new wineskin of declaring. There is a time to cry out for mercy and help (Hebrews 4:16), but too often those who beg in prayer are like the disciples in the boat in Mark 4 (mistakenly believing they must rouse a sleeping God).

New mindsets must precede higher levels of prayer. “I will give you the keys of the kingdom of heaven, and whatever you bind on earth will be bound in heaven, and whatever you loose on earth will be loosed in heaven” (Matthew 16:19). When we add this to Matthew 6:10, “Your kingdom come, your will be done, on earth as it is in heaven,” we are given a glorious direction that will help our prayer indeed go to these higher levels.

We have been given the keys of the kingdom. Keys represent authority, privilege and the ability to access different realms. Jesus has given us powerful keys, and there is an expectation that we will use them to “bind” and “loose.” We bind those things that exist on earth that are not in heaven (discord, sickness, poverty, rebellion, etc.), and we loose what is in heaven but not present on earth (peace, salvation, health, protection, forgiveness, etc.). We will only do this if we believe we have been commissioned to do so. And all of this requires us to speak forth declarations (binding and loosing) that tell circumstances and situations how they are to be.

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ABOUT STEVE BACKLUND

Steve Backlund was a senior pastor for seventeen years before joining the team at Bethel Church in Redding, CA in 2008. Steve is a leader developer, joy activist, a revivalist teacher, and as Senior Associate Director, is a key part of the Global Legacy (a ministry of Bethel Church) leadership team. He travels extensively throughout the world encouraging churches and leaders and has authored a number of books.